So you want to quit?

If you’re reading this past midnight, once the normal folks have rolled down the shutters, chances are a hefty potato sack of a question hangs over your creative destiny. We all experience that crushing doubt, “Am I cut out for this Filmmaking lark?”, but what you should really be asking is “what made me crazy enough to begin in the first place?”. So when you hit that fork in the road, remind yourself what drew you to this crazy life and take the psychopath. The sweet golden years; operating your first camera, stroking the canvas with a fresh paint brush… Read more »


Need Vs. Greed: When should Filmmakers work for free?

That sneaky Film Industry, with all the million dollar budgets, global audiences and coked up Superstars we read about, why can’t the trusty PA get a slice of that action darn it? When should the talented up and comer decide that this Project is worth eating leftover noodles and sleeping on the floor of Hobo Harry’s cardboard box apartment? Fret not my Filmmaking birds, I’ll feed you. It’s worth prefacing that every project and situation is unique and relative, so be mindful when making your own decision. There really are no bad choices only learning curves and every Filmmaker must… Read more »


Why James Cameron Is Still A Beginner

10,000 Hours to Mastery

Pop Psych Author Malcolm Gladwell famously philosophised the concept that it takes ten thousand hours of practice to achieve mastery in a craft. You really couldn’t ask for a more saccharine outlook on greatness, where genius is the creation of those willing to endure the time and hardship. Many fields can rely on this simple formula, certain Sports for example, where the linearity of the rules dictate that the Team or Player with the highest skill-set should determine the victor. Filmmaking (and many Arts) tend to play by a different set of rules, and the Auteur’s inhabiting… Read more »


ABC’s 2016 Showreel: How It Was Made (Part 3)

CUTTING IT FINE

Whether you’re editing a Feature Film, Music Video, Showreel or Scientology Infomercial, structure is gospel (Can I get an amen Tom Cruise?). My audience must go on a journey of some kind, which is no easy feat when the purpose of a Showreel is essentially selling a Brand. It was important to assess what we wanted viewers to takeaway, so I devised a simple list. Style Skills Products Brand Ol’ fashioned Entertainment This was than broken down even further with how to address them. We knew there would be a CGI animated portion, a perfect opportunity to… Read more »


ABC’s 2016 Showreel: How It Was Made (Part 2)

CGI: A BEAUTIFUL DISASTER

Your most loyal Director is an Old School Filmmaker at heart. I grew up idolising the Kubrick’s, Hitchcock’s and any Horror schlock that could be snuck in at the midnight hour. Classic storytelling with a subversion of the norms teased me into this career and I feel honoured just to take a seat on this roller-coaster. These visionaries championed inventive new ways to integrate technology into their craft, so when the tired outcries of ‘CGI is the death of Cinema’ are hurled, I declare ‘Nay, it is the storyteller behind the effects not the technology itself’. When we first… Read more »


ABC’s 2016 Showreel: How It Was Made (Part 1)

WATCH THE OFFICIAL 2016 SHOWREEL NOW!

A major ‘Oh Shit’ moment struck when we launched the new Showreel into cyberspace. It definitely wasn’t the quality, as we’re damn proud of the result. However, a brief disclaimer right at the beginning would of represented our Team’s thoughts in regards to the the making of it:

‘DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME’ 

COMMIT TO THE VISION

You might have guessed, but this screenshot shows the timeframe from the Reel’s First to Final Cut. Naturally, it wasn’t constant work, more a case of, whilst in between… Read more »


How To Make A Showreel

From REEL To DEAL

EVERYONE must have a Showreel. I repeat, EVERYONE. You may only be a ‘Lighting’ gal’ right now, but if your dream (best have one of those too) is to be the Director of Photography for ‘Star Wars – Episode 16: Force Push It Real Good’ than start Reeling. Directors inboxes are flooded with hopeful Filmmakers and Actors looking to begin their cinematic careers, and I’m sure I speak for my peers when I say, we ain’t reading all those CV’s. We got a LOT of other things that need to be done. This is a Visual Industry, so capture our imaginations with beautiful imagery,… Read more »